SDG Alliance demands 3pc budgetary allocations for health sector

The country’s health budget should be raised to 3 per cent, from the existing 1.5 per cent, to attain the Sustainable Development Goal of securing universal healthcare for all by 2030.

Meanwhile, 46 per cent of Bangladeshis faced difficulties meeting medical expenses in the country, according to the latest study by the SDG Action Alliance Bangladesh.

SDG Alliance Bangladesh revealed its study on Sunday at a seminar, which said 20 per cent of most poor families get much less than 20 per cent of the government benefits in maternal and child health care.

The event, titled 'Civil Society's Position Paper on Establishing the Right to Universal Health Care,' was held at the Sagar-Runi Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity in the city.

The programme was jointly organised by SDG Action Alliance Bangladesh, Global Call to Action Against Poverty and Noakhali Rural Development Society (NRDS).

Abdul Awal, Convener of SDG Action Alliance Bangladesh, said that the health sector is being neglected in the budget due to the continuation of the previous Covid.

The health system went into dire straits during the pandemic, he said, adding that the sector is not getting the expected attention in the budget.

Awal said Bangladesh spends only 1.5 per cent of its GDP on health, which is much lower than the global average of 5.9 per cent.

This is a major obstacle to building the government's capacity to ensure quality healthcare for all, he said.

Citing the World Health Organisation, Abdul Awal said that a Bangladeshi national needs to spend US$88 a year to get basic health care.

But Bangladesh spends $58 per capita on healthcare, most of which is funded by the citizens themselves.

The people of Bangladesh are forced to fund nearly 70 per cent of their health expenses themselves.

He also said the country has 14,500 community clinics and more than 3,000 Union Parishad health clinics.

The infrastructure and capacity of community hospitals should be developed to achieve the SDGs, Awal said. 

Bangladesh promised to bring its people under universal health coverage by 2032, he said.

The SDG Action Alliance conducted a survey of over 600 citizens of Noakhali, Dhaka, Chittagong and Barisal in December 2023 on access to healthcare, uptake of the Covid-19 vaccine and inclusion in social protection programmes among marginalised communities.

It found that 78.7 per cent of people had received at least one dose, and 21.3 per cent had received no vaccination.

The accessibility rate of marginalised people to government healthcare centres for primary care is 70.5 per cent.

But due to many obstacles, it became difficult to get the necessary treatment, according to the study.

The Executive Director of Bandhan Aminuzzaman Milon placed five-point recommendations.

The recommendations include strengthening the health system and increasing government investment in expanding access to health services for all citizens of Bangladesh.

Individual expenditures on health could be reduced by expanding the coverage of health insurance programmes and subsidising health care costs, according to the recommendation.

Manwar Akhter Minu, Member Secretary of Nari Odhikar Jote (Women's Rights Alliance), was also present in the event, among others.

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